Model of the Week – British Railways Standard Class 3MT – 82019

Our model of the week is BR standard 3MT class locomotive 82019. As usual, we shall be looking at the history of the prototype, illustrated by pictures of Bachmann’s excellent model (click here for the model review).

82019 had a very short life and is an example of the incredible waste of resources by British Railways in building new steam locomotives only to scrap them a few years later. 82019 was actually the BR Standard 3MT tank class’ longest survivor, which thanks to the Beeching Axe was a working life of 15 years, less than half of the forty years it was designed to last.

82019 was built in Swindon in 1952 and spent a fairly uneventful working life initially at Exmouth Junction and was withdrawn at Nine Elms in 1967 working in the Southern region.

As with many “standard” designs, the 3MT owed much to LMS practice, with the exception of having the GWR number 2 boiler. 45 examples were built at Swindon and used in the Southern, Western, North Eastern and London Midland regions. They were particularly useful in the Southern region, replacing life-expired pre-grouping engine types. They did their job well and could have continued to do so, however this was never to be.

None of these machines survived into the preservation era and this is such a shame. The locomotive would be ideal for a preserved line; being powerful enough to haul heavy tourist-full trains at 25mph whilst being very economical. In fact it is for these reasons that a project has been set-up to create a new member of the class on the Severn Valley Railway. The 82045 steam locomotive trust is progressing with the project, which is a very exciting prospect!